Carbon molecular sieve material with structural regularity, method for preparing the same and use thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is a carbon molecular sieve material. It is prepared by a method comprising the step of adsorbing a mixture of an aqueous carbohydrate solution and an acid or a polymer precursor into pores of an inorganic molecular sieve material; drying and polymerizing the adsorbates; re-adsorbing a mixture of an aqueous carbohydrate solution and an acid or a polymer precursor onto the resultant mixture obtained in the previous steps, and drying and polymerizing the adsorbates; carbonizing the adsorbates through thermal decomposition; and removing the framework of the inorganic molecular sieve from the carbonized adsorbates by use of a fluoric acid or a sodium hydroxide solution. With uniformity in pore size and regularity in structure, the carbon molecular sieve is suitable for use in catalysts, adsorbents, supports, sensors, electrodes, etc.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for preparing a carbon molecular sieve material comprising the steps of: 
       a) adsorbing into the pores of an inorganic molecular sieve material selected from the group consisting of MCM-48, SBA-1, KIT-1, SBA-15 and MSU-1, a starting material selected from the group consisting of:  
       (i) a polymer precursor; and  
       (ii) a mixture of an aqueous carbohydrate solution and an acid; wherein said inorganic molecular sieve material is the solid acid form thereof when the selected starting material comprises a polymer precursor;  
       b) drying and polymerizing the adsorbates;  
       c) optionally repeating the steps of adsorbing, drying and polymerizing;  
       d) carbonizing the polymerized adsorbates by thermal decomposition; and  
       e) removing the framework of the inorganic molecular sieve from the carbonized adsorbates of the sieve material by treating the sieve material with a solution of hydrofluoric acid or sodium hydroxide.  
     
     
       2. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the carbohydrate is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, xylose and glucose and the polymer precursor is selected from the group consisting of furfuryl alcohol, aniline, acetylene and propylene. 
     
     
       3. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the molecular sieve material comprises a structure in which channels are three-dimensionally arranged or one-dimensional channels are connected to each other via micropores. 
     
     
       4. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: f) impregnating a transition metal into pores of the carbon molecular sieve material. 
     
     
       5. The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, palladium, ruthenium, molybdenum and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       6. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon molecular sieve material has an X-ray diffraction pattern at a diffraction angle of 5° or less, and has a regular structure with uniform pore sizes. 
     
     
       7. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the thermal decomposition is performed in the temperature range of 500 to 1,200° C. for 1 to 12 hours under vacuum or oxygen-free atmosphere, wherein the temperature is increased to this range over a period of 1 to 12 hours. 
     
     
       8. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the carbohydrate or the polymer precursor is adsorbed into the inorganic sieve material in an amount in the range of 0.1 to 3 g, per gram of inorganic molecular sieve material. 
     
     
       9. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the solid acid form is an aluminum-substituted inorganic molecular sieve. 
     
     
       10. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the acid is selected from sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid. 
     
     
       11. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the drying and polymerizing step is performed in the temperature range of 50 to 400° C., wherein the temperature is raised to this range over a period of 5 minutes to 24 hours.